4-alarm fire engulfs Salisbury funeral home

SALISBURY, N.C. (AP) – A four-alarm fire has engulfed a
Salisbury funeral home, where the bodies of two women awaiting
funerals were inside caskets.

Initial reports say no one was hurt in Friday’s fire at Lyerly
Funeral Home. A staff member says all workers got out of the
building safely. The fire was reported around 12:20 p.m.

It’s believed the fire started in the basement near a furnace at
the funeral home. Owner Brent Lyerly said the fire began shortly
after someone turned on the heating system. Staff members saw smoke
coming through vents and heard a smoke detector sounding an alarm.

The bodies of two sisters who died on Wednesday were inside the
funeral home when the fire erupted. The sisters’ funerals were
scheduled for Saturday.